The White Lotus stars all got the same, very modest salaries no matter their star power. Here's how much they took home
HBO's widely acclaimed anthology series The White Lotus has garnered widespread attention for its sharp social commentary and stellar ensemble cast. However, behind the scenes, a surprising aspect has emerged regarding actors' salaries: the actors are compensated modestly compared to industry standards.
Actor Jason Isaacs confirmed in a new interview with Vulture that every cast member on the sets of season 3 made $40,000 per episode, bringing their total pay for the series to around $320,000 each. (Also read: The White Lotus star Aimee Lou Wood breaks down on streets of London following SNL parody)
'I didn't know that was public knowledge. That's absolutely true. Generally, actors don't talk about pay in public because it's ridiculously disproportionate to what we do — putting on makeup and funny voices — and just upsets the public. But compared to what people normally get paid for big television shows, that's a very low price," Jason said.
"But the fact is, we would have paid to be in it. We probably would have given a body part," he added.
Since its inception, The White Lotus has maintained a flat pay rate for its cast. Each actor is compensated at a rate of $40,000 per episode, amounting to approximately $320,000 for an eight-episode season. This policy applies uniformly to all cast members, from seasoned veterans to emerging talents.
Producer David Bernad, in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, explained that this approach was established during the show's first season, which had a modest budget of $4 million per episode. The goal was to foster a collaborative environment where actors were motivated by the project's creative merits rather than financial incentives.
Casting Director Meredith Tucker added, "It makes it so much easier. You tell people this is what it is. And some won't do it — and honestly, you can't hold it against people who need to make a living. Our series regulars are pretty much doing this for scale."
Jason starred on Season 3 of the HBO megahit alongside Schwarzenegger, Aimee Lou Wood, Walton Goggins, Carrie Coon, Leslie Bibb, Michelle Monaghan, Parker Posey, Natasha Rothwell, Sam Nivola, Sarah Catherine Hook, Lisa and more.
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